Q1. [4] medium exam-ready
Read the following scenario and answer the questions that follow:
In a country called Alveria, the government regularly holds elections, has an open public debate culture, and guarantees the right to information. However, citizens frequently complain that the government is slow in responding to their needs, corrupt officials go unpunished, and the gap between the rich and the poor keeps widening. Despite these shortcomings, surveys show that 90% of Alverians believe democracy is suitable for their country, and 68% say their vote makes a difference.
(i) Which feature of democratic government does Alveria's open public debate and right to information represent? (1 mark)
(ii) Name the outcome of democracy that the survey data (90% support) directly reflects. (1 mark)
(iii) Despite corruption and inequality, why do the majority of Alverians still prefer their democratic system? (2 marks)
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-26 13:20 · grounding rag
Model Answer
(i) Alveria's open public debate and right to information represent transparency — a key feature of an accountable and responsive democratic government.
(ii) The survey data (90% support) directly reflects legitimacy as an outcome of democracy. Democracy is people's own government, and its ability to generate its own support is itself a significant outcome.
(iii) Despite corruption and slow response, the majority of Alverians prefer democracy because:
- Democracy is seen as a legitimate government — it is the people's own government, chosen by them through elections.
- Citizens believe democracy is suitable for their country and that their vote matters, showing faith in the system.
- Even with its flaws, democracy is much better than non-democratic alternatives like military or monarchical rule, which are equally or more corrupt and less accountable.
Source: Chapter 5 — Outcomes of Democracy, Accountable, Responsive and Legitimate Government
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Explanation
- (i) The textbook lists "open public debate on major policies" and "citizens' right to information" as indicators of transparency — always use this term.
- (ii) The passage explicitly states: "Democracy's ability to generate its own support is itself an outcome" — this is legitimacy. Don't confuse it with accountability.
- (iii) The key textbook line is: "a democratic government is people's own government…there is an overwhelming support for the idea of democracy all over the world." Examiners expect you to cite legitimacy and the moral/prudential reasons to prefer democracy over alternatives.